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This cocktail hails from one of my favorite Brooklyn bars, and appropriately enough appears in a new cocktail collection called Brooklyn Bartender. I love that this drink not only contains equal parts whiskey & Lillet, but also equal parts of 3 types of bitters. Score!

This dessert-y cocktail is from the shiny-new updated edition of The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book, by Frank Caiafa, who helms the Peacock Alley bar inside the famed hotel. (PS, this is a book I am truly enjoying and recommend, and not only because it includes a large number of equal-parts drinks). It’s an improved version of a Peacock Alley original called the Banshee.

The drink is “inspired by the Presidential Suite (Room 35A),” Caiafa writes, “and the ghosts whose presence I (almost) felt.”

President’s Ghost

Frank Caiafa, The Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book

1 oz.Tuthilltown Hudson New York corn whiskey

1 oz. Tempus Fugit creme de cacao

1 oz. Giffard Banane du Bresil (creme de banana)

1 oz. heavy cream

Add all ingredients to mixing glass. Add ice and shake well. Fine strain into chilled cocktail glass. Top with small chocolate curls or shavings for garnish.

I was psyched to see an perfect equal-parts Manhattan take the top spot in Woodford Reserve’s recent drink competition. Even the extra touches — 2 dashes bitters, 2 dashes absinthe — measure out in equal parts! That’s Jonathan Howard, a Nashville, TN bartender, in the photo above pouring out multiples of his drink for the lucky judges.

Grab a Lewis bag and crack several pieces of large format ice. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with cracked ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

UPDATED 8/17: Oops! It was helpfully pointed out to me that a “perfect” Manhattan means equal parts sweet and dry vermouth – NOT equal parts whiskey and vermouth. Now corrected above. It’s a good thing I never claimed to be “perfect” myself, ha ha.

The past month, I was asked to judge the Star of the Bar cocktail contest — and this cocoa-and-spice equal-parts stunner with just a hint of grapefruit (created by Matt Friedlander) was the NYC regional winner. No, it didn’t win because it measured out in equal proportions. But it sure didn’t hurt.

(P.S. Shameless promo alert: My book has a new name: Shake. Stir. Sip.: 40 Effortless Cocktails Made in Equal Parts and it’s officially available for pre-order! If you click through you can also take a peek at the cover – which looks a little like the drink above.)

Any Which Way But Left

Matt Friedlander, Head Bartender, Fools Gold, NYC

Friedlander says that the name of this drink, an “anti-Valentine’s Day Negroni variation” is “a reference to Tinder-swiping habits in my bar after 3 AM.”

1 ounce Jagermeister

1 ounce Aperol

1 ounce Brovo Amaro No. 4

5 drops Bittermen’s Xocolatl Mole bitters

Grapefruit peel, for garnish

Combine all ingredients except bitters and grapefruit peel in a large mixing glass. Stir over ice for approximately 20 seconds and strain into rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with bitters and grapefruit peel.

I know, it’s not even Christmas yet. But New Year’s Eve will be here soon enough, so I’m (re-)publishing one of my favorite celebratory punches. (PS, nothing wrong with serving this for Christmas eve either, if you choose.) Here’s why this is the drink for your New Year’s Eve bash:

1. It’s sparkling, and you know you need something bubbly for toasting at midnight.

2. Between the fancy block of ice and simple orange-wheel slices, It looks great in a punch bowl. But it’s easy to put together and difficult to screw up. If all else fails, just pour in more bubbly.

3. As the ice melts over the course of the evening, the punch mellows a bit, but never waters down (thank you, gin), so the party keeps going until Auld Lang Syne.

The French 75 is a classic cocktail usually made with cognac, though gin is sometimes substituted, and that’s the spirit I call for in this recipe. It typically isn’t served as a punch but works quite well in this format. Serve this fresh, fragrant variation at any occasion that calls for toasting.

A simple chunk of ice, such as one frozen in a loaf pan or bowl will suffice, but for a special, decorative touch, consider freezing orange wheels inside the ice.

Last year, I created this Hanukkah-themed punch for Liquor.com. If you’re celebrating the Festival of Lights with friends or family, it’s the perfect excuse to make a batch. Head on over to Liquor.com to read the full story with tips on how to throw a Hanukkah party. And if you need more punch ideas (or a holiday gift?), please order a copy of my book Cocktails for a Crowd.

“VODKAS & LATKES” PUNCH

Contributed by Kara Newman

Serves 16

Potato latkes—often served with applesauce—is an iconic Hanukkah dish. Without getting too literal, here’s a cocktail interpretation of that seasonal favorite. Serve in a punch bowl, with a platter of fresh latkes nearby, of course.

24 oz potato vodka

24 oz apple cider

12 oz lemon juice

8 oz ginger liqueur

32 dashes Angostura Bitters

Lemon slices and whole cloves, for garnish

The night before: freeze a big block of punchbowl ice: Pour water into disposable tin loaf pans (fill about halfway) and freeze overnight. When ready to serve punch, peel off the tins. Alternatively, use a bowl instead of a tin pan to create rounded ice. Run the bowl briefly under hot water to release the ice mold.

The day of the party: Add all ingredients to a punch bowl large enough to hold at least 10 cups of liquid. Stir to combine. Add the block of ice, and stir again to chill. Garnish with lemon slices studded with cloves. To serve, ladle into punch cups or tea cups.